The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday it has issued nearly 100 show cause orders (SCO) to political candidates running for local and national seats in connection with alleged violations of election laws.
Poll body chairman George Garcia said most of the candidates issued SCOs are being accused of vote-buying or using obscene language during campaign sorties.
Furthermore, he said Comelec’s Kontra Bigay committee will soon issue SCOs to former Manila mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso and Samuel Verzosa Jr., who are both vying for the city’s top post.
Both Moreno and Versoza, as well as other 9 local candidates were also asked to explain the alleged vote-buying that took place in their respective campaigning activities.
Among the national bets to receive a SCO is senatorial candidate Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar who participated in activities involving the distribution of prizes while names of the candidates were being mentioned.
Video and photos of the event showed banners and posters with Villar’s name and her image, along with the banners of Villar Group companies.
The Comelec requires that all candidates must respond within a strict, non-extendible period of 3 days from the receipt of the show cause order to explain why a complaint for election offense or petition for disqualification should not be filed against them, the poll body’s chief noted.
Garcia warned that the Commission can suspend the proclamation of candidates with pending disqualification cases before them.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has reshuffled around 1,700 officers in some areas to avoid possible conflict of interest in the May elections.
PNP Public Information Office Chief Col. Randulf Tuaño said those provisionally transferred to other posts include 1,681 personnel who have relatives running in the midterm elections and another 95 officers who have “close association” to candidates.
“They can be returned to their old posts after the election period,” he explained in Filipino.
Tuaño further disclosed that the Comelec has recommended that two provincial directors in the Bangsamoro region also be reshuffled.
As this developed, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) called for the protection of media workers, saying they must be able to fulfill their duties without fear of harassment or violence amid the hot political climate as elections draw near.
The Commission issued the statement after the residence of radio blocktimer, Ray Siason, was riddled with gunfire by still unidentified gunmen.
“This alarming attack sends a chilling effect across the media landscape in the country. The Commission reiterates that media workers must be able to fulfill their duties without fear of threats, harassment or violence,” the CHR said.
